DANNY GARCIA KNOCKS OUT BRANDON RIOS IN WELTERWEIGHT TITLE ELIMINATOR

Former two-division world champion Danny Garcia returned with a vengeance, knocking out Brandon Rios in a WBC Welterweight Title Eliminator in the main event of SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING Saturday on SHOWTIME from Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Returning for the first time since dropping a close split-decision to Keith Thurman in a welterweight world championship unification fight in March of 2017, Garcia reminded fans of his position amongst boxing’s elite at 147 pounds with an early candidate for 2018 Knockout of the Year. VIDEO: http://s.sho.com/2HpwG0N

Garcia (34-1, 20 KOs) did his best work in the center of the ring, where he was able to box at a distance and fend off Rios’ furious pace. Rios, who returned in 2017 from a brief retirement, was most effective against the ropes where he gave Garcia trouble with his constant pressure and his favorite weapon – a wide overhand right.

In the ninth round with the fight where Garcia wanted it – in the center of the ring – the Philadelphia native landed a huge counter right to the chin that sent Rios flat on his back. Rios beat the count, but was clearly wobbly on his feet, forcing referee Kenny Bayless to halt the contest at 2:25 of the ninth.

“I felt the ring rust a little bit in the beginning,” said Garcia, who recorded the 20th knockout of his career. “He’s a good inside fighter and he was giving me some good uppercuts. I felt good, it was a good nine rounds. He came to fight. I came to box, I did that. I came to bang, and I gave the fans what they wanted – a knockout.

“I just noticed when I was getting my punches off he was standing right in front of me and I just let it go. As soon as I got the fight in the middle of the ring where I wanted I landed good shots. I was just letting my hands go and the punch landed.”